Depth control for submarines



A. HOAR.

` DEPTH CONTROL FOR SUBMARINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1915. RENEwE0s.PT.1B,192o.

instan starts rarest vente.

ALLEN HOAR, OF LONG` BEACH, CALIFORNA, ASSIGNOB., BY lJIESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

CALIF-enivre.

DEPTH CONTROL FOB, SBMARINES.

Application ined May 21, 1915, serial No. 29,555.

To @ZZ wlw-m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALLEN Honk, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county offLos Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Depth Control for Submarines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to submarine boats, and more particularly to means for the automatic control of the depth of submergence of the same. Heretofore there have been a number of forms of automatic devices for controlling the depth of submergence, the same employing small auxiliary adjust ing and compensating tanks, and my invention has for its primary object to obviate the necessity for these small auxiliary tanks by being operated in direct connection with the main ballast system.

`My invention presents certain novel de tails of construction and operation as will be hereinafter more definitely pointed out and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal -view of a submarine, partly in section, illustrating` the method of installation and connection of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View, partly in section, of my improved system.

Fig.'3 is a detail sectional view of the air valve. f l

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the checkvalves employed. Y

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the ksaid drawings, the reference numeral indicates the hull of `a submarine,

`51 the superstructure and 52 the conning tower. 45, 46 and 47 indicate lthe main ballast tanks. rlhe main flooding valve is indicated at 49, the same being operated by the rod and the lever 53 and protected by the screen 54. Ait'48 is a fiuid pressure reservoir. Valves 26a are vent valves leading to the various tanks, valves 24a are fluid pressure valves to the same, and valve 28a is a sea cock in the sea pressure diaphragm line.

As shown in detail in Fig. 2, 29 is a predetermining diaphragm, and 30 is a main sea pressure diaphragm. Valve 25 is a piston vent valve, and valve 23, shown in detail in F ig. 3, is a Huid pressure valve, both leading to the main ballast tanks 45, 46 and 47,

Specification of Letters Patent. Pga'gentgd Rial. 29, 192i.

Renewed. September 18, 1920. Serial No. 411,268.

through pipes 26 and 24, respectively. Pipe 10 1s a fluidpressure supply pipe leading from a fiuid pressure reservoir 48. Valves 16 and 18 are spring operated needle by-.pass valves similar to valve 23, and valves 11"4 and 12b` kare relief valves. Gage 32 isa predetermining depth gage for registering the pressure in the chamber n., gage 33 is an initial starting pressure gage, and gage 34 is the main depth gage for registering the external sea pressure.

In Fig. 3, 23 indicatesvthe main air blow valve and 36 the pressure inlet communicating with pipe 10, and 37 the discharge outlet of the same, communicating with ipe 24. A compression spring 3S holds the valve .35 to its seat, and 39 is a push rod for open ing the yvalve and allowing the fluid pressure to lpass through. 40 is a ground joint cap for making an air tight joint, and 41is` a screw cap to hold the ground joint cap 40 to its seat. 42 is a packing space andy 43 a packing gland for preventing the fluid presl sure from leaking around rod 39.

Fig. 4 is a detail vof the ball check valve 20 of which 44 is the ball valve.

To subnierge the vessel by means of this device, the operation is as follows -Fluid pressure is first turned into the chamber A from tank 48 by means of pipe 10, valve 11a and pipe 11, until a pressure corresponding to the desired vdepth of submergence is registered on the dialof the gage 32. This operaticn forces the diaphragm 29 toward the chamber B. pressing yagainst the stem of the valve 18 and forcing it open, thus establishing free communication from chambers B and D to chamber C, through pipes 14and 13, but not reversely, said reverse action being stopped by the ball check valve 2O in pipe 19. tu initial starting pressure of about eight pounds is then turned into the chamber C by means of the valver 12 and the piping 12y .and 13. rlhe pressure admitted .to this chamber forces ther diaphragm 30'toward the chamber D and opens the tank vent valve 25, allowing the air contained in the ballast tank 45 or 46 and 47, according to which of the vent valves 26a have first been opened. to escape through the pipes 26 and 27, and thereby flooding the tank or tanks, it being understood that the main flooding valve v49 has first been opened. When the ballastrtank has been vented suiiiciently to allow enough water to 2 0 cutti enter, causing,- the vessel to sink until the pressure in the chamber D has become equal to the pressure in the chamber C, or has become greater, the Vent `Valve 25 will close,

and the pressure in chamber D is` passed through pipes 2l and 19, check Valve 20 sure in chamber B has approached the pressure in chamber A the Valve 1S has been closing, and heitere the pressure in B has reached that in il the valve 1S has closed', oil the passage between (l andV D.' N o f as the pressure in these two chambers was equalized at the point of cut-Loti, any increase in the pressure in chamber D due to greater submergfence will tend to open the [luid iiressure valve 23, and supply'pressure through the pipe 24 to thev ballast tanl or tanks, forcing; out the water and causing the vessel to rise. lllhenthe pressure in chamber B becomes greater than that in chamber rfi, the by-pass valve lis opened, affording a free passage, through pipes 13, l? and 2l, from chamber fl t o to chambers B aand D, but not reversely, thev check valve l5 preventing' such reverse movement. Fluid pressure valve 23 been feeding' pressure to the tanks meanwhile displacing the water untilxthe vessel is raised sulliciently for the pressure in chamber l) to `become lower than that in C. rlie excess o'lr pressure in C then raises the ball check l5 and the pressure passes through into B and D, again equalizing them. This operation is repeated until the pressure in chambers A, B, 'C and D are caught and ren'iain equal. The speed and delicacy of operation of the diaphragme and valves, and the inertia ofthe vessel. from descent to ascent accomplish a prompt equalization in all chambers, and the `vessel will then remain at the predetermined depth until the pressure in chamber A is changed, or it is desired to come to the surface by releasing,1 the pressure in i A through the relief valve 1lb.

My invention is extremely sensitivein operation and will control the depth 'oi-sub- `ters ijatent, is z i compensating for any diderence in the density olf the water ot' flotation o r for any dii- 'rerence in weights onboard. lt also acts as a surety device, preventing the vessel from submerging, by blowing all ballast tanks,`

unless it is intended to submerge and the de vice put in operation by means or the predetermining and startingvalves.

Having thus described mycinvention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letl. ln a submarine, in combination, a hull having ballast compartments, flooding and blowirei connections with said compart ments, a compressed air supply lor providing pressure to blow said compartments, and means set by pressure in said supply `iter controlling the depth or submergenc-i, said means consisting ot opposed pressure diaphragrms, one constituting` the depth control, and the other a. rontrolvfor the inlet and escape of compressed air and the sea water,

ancL automatically closing; Valves interposed between said diaphragms Jfor positively interrupting communication under certain pressure conditions.

2. ln a submarine, in combination, a hull having ballast compartments, flooding,` and blowing); connections with said. compartments, a compressed air supply for providing pressure to blow said compartments, and means set by the pressure in said supply for controlling' the depth ol.5 submergenre, said means consisting; of opposed pressure dii i'ihragms, one constilutins` the depth control, and the other aA control for the inlet and escape oi compressed air and the sea water, said depth control diaphragm adapte ed to open automatically closing valves for establishing; communication upon opposite sides of the other diaphragm, and said latter diaphragm adapted alternately to open and close Vents for the ballast compartment, and connections between the air supply and compartments.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set myv hand thisth dayot May, 1915.7

y "ALLEN Hog-in. 

